American
supporters of Israel were delighted to learn that an Israeli company,
Magal Security Systems, owned in part by the government of Israel,
is in charge of security for the most sensitive nuclear power and
weapons storage facilities in the United States.

The largest perimeter security company in the world, Magal started
out as a division of Israeli Aircraft Industries (IAI), which was
owned in part by the government of Israel. In recent years, however,
Magal evolved into a publicly traded company, although IAI (and
thus the government of Israel) still holds a substantial share in
the highly successful firm.

What this means is that the government of Israel will have control
over the security of America’s nuclear weapons.

Supporters of Israel say that this is a splendid idea, since Israel
is said to be America’s closest ally. However, there are some
critics who question the propriety of America’s supersensitive
nuclear security being in the hands of any foreign nation, particularly
Israel, which, even today, officially refuses to confirm or deny
that it has nuclear arms.

Magal’s global interests are broad. Having secured 90 percent
of Israel’s borders through a wide array of “space age”
technology, Magal has now branched out internationally. Not only
does Magal provide security for American nuclear facilities, but
it also patrols most major nuclear facilities in Western Europe
and Asia.

The Israeli firm guards Chicago’s O’Hare Airport and,
for the last 15 years, has kept watch on the queen of England’s
famed Buckingham Palace in London. And Magal safeguards 90 percent
of the American prisons that utilize electronic systems.

Magal brags that its other clients around the globe include: borders,
airports, industrial sites, communication centers, military installations,
correctional facilities, government agencies, VIP estates and residences,
commercial buildings and storage yards. There is hardly a major
country or major enterprise that does not have Magal’s security
specialists keeping a close watch on their activities.

Clearly, Magal is no small enterprise. While 27 percent of its total
sales are in the Israeli market, its largest market is in North
America, which currently accounts for 35 percent of its sales.

However, Magal’s American outreach is expected to increase
substantially, especially now that the firm has set up a Washington
office, which will promote its products to federal agencies and
to the members of Congress, who provide funding for federally supervised
security projects across the country at all levels: local, state
and national.

Current U.S. Homeland Security Czar Michael Chertoff is not only
a devout supporter of Israel but is also the son of a woman who
has strong Israeli ties — even including service with El Al,
the national airline of Israel. Magal, owned in part by Israeli
Aircraft Industries, will be the clear-cut favorite in the eyes
of officials in Washington who have the power to grant lucrative
security contracts.

At the moment, Magal has four U.S.-based subsidiaries: two in California,
Stellar Security Products, Inc. and Perimeter Products Inc., as
well as the New York-based Smart Interactive Systems, Inc., and
the Virginia-based Dominion Wireless, Inc.

All told, the Israeli company holds a 40 percent share in the worldwide
market in perimeter intrusion detection systems and is working to
expand its business in the protection of oil pipelines.

Magal is also said to be interested in guarding water lines around
the globe, particularly in the United States. In fact, Magal may
have an inside shot at getting a monopoly in guarding America’s
water supplies.

On July 19, the Bush administration’s Environmental Protection
Agency announced a “partnership” with the Israeli Ministry
of National Infrastructures to improve what they called “water
supply system security in the United States and Israel.” Since
Magal is so highly respected in Israel, it’s an even bet that
Magal will soon be guarding the U.S. water supply.

Photograph of military personnel manning a check
point with a Three Mile Island cooling tower in the background.

CHANGES: In 2003, U.S.
military personnel guarded the front gate of the Three Mile
Island nuclear power plant located in Middletown, Pa. That
may change, however, as an Israeli firm begins to take over
security operations for nuclear facilities around the United
States.